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Has anyone visited the markets around Sapa?

Has anyone visited the markets around Sapa?

Old Nov 27th, 2006, 04:11 PM
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Has anyone visited the markets around Sapa?

We'll be in the Sapa area in about 6 weeks, and I really want to visit some markets in the morning and then do some trekking around the area in the afternoons. So many markets sound interesting, but I know some must be better than others.

Has anyone been to any of these markets? If so which ones did you prefer & why?

Bac Ha
Coc Ly
Tam Duong
Can Cau
Muong Hum

Thanks for your insights.
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Old Nov 29th, 2006, 02:22 PM
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We visited the Bac Ha markets and in my opinion these should not be missed. These markets are mostly for the locals and people from the surrounding districts from all ethnic groups come out to buy their produce for the week. You actually see them for miles outside Bac Ha all trekking in laden with produce in baskets on their backs or riding their bikes often precariously balancing their load. Just to see them all in their beautiful traditional dress was such a colourful and spectacular site. The market is an open one with streets and streets of stalls. It was the most varied that we saw across Vietnam. It was just so interesting to sit and "people watch" as they went about their business - buying almost anything inc live animals, sharing lunch,playing music, smoking tobacco pipes and enjoying their Sunday out with their families. Simply wonderful....
The Bac Ha markets is only on Sunday tho and is usually organised via a day trip from the hotels in Sapa. By the way we stayed at the Auberge and it was fantastic. The rooms were lovely, staff extremely helpful and very good value.
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Old Nov 29th, 2006, 08:08 PM
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Thanks much Tracy. I think we'll try ot take in Bac Ha. Did you think this was a super touristy market? Also, what about Bac Ha itself? We are looking at the posibility of visiting nearby CanCAu on Sat. and then spending the night in BacHa so we'll be there first thing in the morning for the market on Sunday. Was BAc Ha itself a total dump with nothing do do and uninteresting surroundings, or would we be okay there for a night.
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Old Dec 1st, 2006, 03:28 AM
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We travelled from Sapa to Bac Ha for the markets which is a fair way and a fairly slow trip so I think staying locally is a good idea and saves back tracking. We did not spend a lot of time in Bac Ha (other than the markets) so I can't really comment on the town itself. We did however do a short walk on the outskirts of the village and visit a couple of families after the markets and this was a really interesting experience.
Are the markets "touristy"? Well I guess what markets aren't!! Sure it had its fair share of souvenir type stalls BUT you also get to see the various local groups doing their weekly shopping of all sorts of produce inc live pigs and chicken, lunching with family and friends and generally enjoying their Sunday outing. Just to see the many different minority groups in their traditional dress was quite spectacular.
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Old Dec 5th, 2006, 11:56 PM
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Hi
If you have enough ime, you'd go to all os these markets, they are very interesting
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